Saying Goodbye
by EndlessExplorer
Summary: Being the Bearer of Hermes' Staff, Kassandra paid the price... - Beware Spoilers for the modern ending to Assassin's Creed Odyssey. I'm sorry my brain put this together but I'm still happy with how it turned out.


Kassandra looked out at the storm; Zeus must be angry for the weather to be so bad, but Kassandra found it quite fitting. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Kassandra turned to see Phoebe. Phoebe was older now, much older with a husband and children of her own, who were fully grown as well at this stage with children of their own on the way. There were grey hairs mixed in with Phoebe's natural ebony hair. Looking at them though, one would think that Phoebe was the mater, and not Kassandra.

"Mater? She wants you. The doctor said that she's getting worse…"

Phoebe could see how much her mother was in pain. Kassandra wiped her tears away on the back of her hand and slowly nodded her head. Phoebe embraced Kassandra and headed over to talk to and to pay the doctor. Kassandra walked towards the bedroom, each step feeling harder and more heart-breaking. Eventually Kassandra reached the bedroom and placed her hand on the door. It took almost all of her strength to do so, but Kassandra finally managed to push the door open and walked in. The room was shrouded in darkness, except for one corner where a candle burned beside a bed.

"Kassandra? Is that you?"

Kassandra swallowed hard. The strain in the voice was obvious but it all felt like a direct knife to the heart.

"Yes Kyra… it is."

As Kassandra got closer and closer to the bed, she could see Kyra's hair spilled out over the small mount of pillows beneath her head. Kyra's hair had gone from her natural rich black that Nyx could have been jealous of, to the shiniest silver in the Greek world but Kassandra thought that Kyra was as beautiful as ever. Shallow breaths and wrinkled skin betrayed Kyra's natural youthful spirit. She had been her closest friend over the course of their 60 years of wedded bliss, but Kassandra was now the keeper of Hermes staff and now had to pay the price.

Myrrine had died peacefully some time ago, soon followed by Nicolaus. Kassandra had watched it all happen. Even Alexios. Despite their time apart when they were younger, Kassandra and Alexios became closer than ever and when he had died, it had hit Kassandra at her very core. Knowing Kassandra had a family, Alexios had offered to take up the mantle as Staff Bearer but Kassandra stopped him. Yes, she would like to grow old with Kyra, them both succumb to their old age together, gracefully, but Alexios hadn't seen Pythagoras. Kassandra didn't want Alexios to succumb to the same fate as their 'father'. Barnabas, Ikaros, even Stentor. It had hurt so much when they had died, and now Kassandra was forced to witness it again. The three fates were cruel.

After Pythagoras' death by her own hand, Kassandra had gathered her family and explained about their family legacy and the staff. It hadn't been a surprise to either Alexios or Myrrine, but Kassandra could tell that Kyra didn't like the news. Kyra had wanted to travel to the deepest part of the Aegean and leave it to Poseidon to deal with the staff, but Kassandra explained that if it ended up in the hands of some new form of the Cult, the damage that would do could lead to the destruction of the world.

 ***On a hill overlooking Lakonia***

"But I don't care about the world. It has never been good to me or helped me. Now, it's trying to take you away from me too."

"But Kyra, I will never leave you. We will be side by side until the very end. I hate this as much as you do."

"Then throw that Spear away! You've destroyed the Cult of Kosmos. You've done more for the Greek people than all of the mythical heroes combined. You don't need to do this!"

Kassandra couldn't say anything. Her jaw opened and closed a couple times before Kassandra just stood there, looking defeated. Suddenly, Kassandra felt Kyra's arms wrap tightly around her chest, squeezing tight. Kassandra returned the embrace, along with a kiss to Kyra's forehead.

"You are the most honourable person I know Kassandra. I know why you are doing this, and I just hope that we will be together some day in the afterlife. You are still my stubborn misthios…"

Kyra could see Kassandra smile a little, but it was obvious that her heart wasn't in it. Kyra hated that Kassandra had been thrown into all this, a pawn and a victim in a fight that wasn't her own. First the Cult had torn her away from her family, and now that same family was expecting her to carry on a stupid mission. Maybe it was a selfish thought, but forcing the staff on Kassandra was evil, Kassandra should be allowed to do what she wants, not feel compelled to do what she doesn't.

Kyra stroked Kassandra's back as they simply stood there, happy in each other's arms. Sharing a kiss that spoke a thousand words, a never ending pledge of love to one another, a promise to be back in each other's arms forever… Kassandra pressed her forehead against Kyra's.

"I love you Kyra."

"I love me too Kassandra…"

Kassandra laughed as Kyra's mouth curled into a smirk. After a second, it softened again.

"Just no where as much as I love you and Phoebe…"

Overhead, Ikaros screeched before landing on Kyra's shoulder. Kyra scratched just underneath Ikaros beak and Ikaros screeched again in appreciation.

"Speaking of Phoebe, we had better get back to her before our little lamb decides to get adventurous."

"Lead the way, my goddess."

Kyra laughed.

"Flattery gets you everywhere, Kassandra.

 ***End of Flashback***

Kassandra sat beside Kyra who started coughing into her hand. They sounded shallow and painful and Kassandra hated it. Words couldn't describe how much Kassandra wanted to throw the staff to the floor, and crawl in beside Kyra. Be together just as they had been for years. Kassandra looked into Kyra's amber gold eyes; the colour of ambrosia; and didn't realise she was crying until Kyra's thumb brushed a tear off her cheek.

Many believed Kassandra to be a Goddess on Helios due to her believed eternal youth, but if there was any deity in their relationship, it had been Kyra. Kyra had taken to being a mother the instant she had held Phoebe, despite her not being her biological child. Kyra had been in Kassandra's corner since they started dating. Had been sound counsel while Kassandra was Queen of Sparta. Kyra had been there for Kassandra as her family had fallen one by one, and even now, Kyra looked as beautiful as ever lying on her deathbed. Not a hair out of place.

It was fair to say that Kassandra had never felt pain like this. Almost like her heart was about to be ripped from her chest and thrown into the depths of Tartarus alongside Cronos.

Kassandra looked down at the staff in her hand and held it out for Kyra to touch.

"Kassandra, what are you doing?"

Kyra's usual mirth could be heard in her words but there was a fierce tone behind it. Like a joke and a warning. Kassandra's voice crackled and broke as she tried to speak. Her throat was raw, and streams of tears were falling from her face.

"Please Kyra… Hold it. I…I… can't bear to lose you too. I've lost so many."

"You haven't lost anyone Kassandra. They mightn't be around physically anymore, but you can be assured that your mother is showing Hermes tricks or Nicolaus, Stentor, and Alexios are talking about war with Ares. They are all watching over you Kassandra."

Kassandra gave a dry laugh. Her eyes were red from tears but there was a smile curve to her lips.

"Artemis will ask you about being such a good huntress. Aphrodite will be jealous about your beauty…"

"That's rich coming from the leader of the daughters of Artemis…"

"You always put me to shame…"

Kyra laughed, followed by a coughing fit. Kyra sighed as she leaned back into the mound of pillows behind her.

"Are you sure you won't stay with me? I could bear this staff until the end of time if you stayed with me. We could travel. See what's out there outside the Greek world."

"And be joined at the hip?! I polished my drachma long ago Kassandra. I'm ready… for the… ferryman."

"I'll miss you Kyra."

"I'll miss you too Kassandra but don't worry… I'll wait for… you… at the end… of…the…"

Kyra went quiet and looking up again, Kassandra saw Kyra's head fallen to one side. Her eyes were closed, and her hand had gone limp. Kyra was dead. Slowly Kassandra got up from the bed, she felt like her strength had been drained, like her arms and legs couldn't support her. A deep, harrowing pain had set itself in Kassandra's chest.

Shaking, Kassandra pressed a kiss to Kyra's forehead before she sat down on the bed and wrapped her arms around Kyra. Finally letting forth her pent-up anguish, Kassandra cried as she rocked back and forth on the bed that she had shared with Kyra for years.


End file.
